Apparatus for molding concrete blocks



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APPARATUS FOR MOLDING CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed March 10, 1948 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig.8.

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IN V EN TOR.

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Victor V; Bem'schek IN V EN TOR.

V Patented July 10, 1951 OFFICE APPARATUS FOR MOLDING CONCRETE.

BLOCK Victor V. Benischek, Albuquerque, N. Mex.

Application March 10, 1948, Serial No. 14,024

9 Claims. (01. 25-41) This invention relates to apparatus for molding blocks from a plastic cementitious aggregate and has for its primary object to receive the cementitious aggregate in a plastic state, shape and compact the aggregateintothe desired form, and to deliver the finished product in the form of a block or blocks ready for curing.

Another object is to effect economies in the time and labor involved in the production of cement blocks of the type commonly employed in the construction of buildings.

A still further object is to deliver the aggregate into a mold, compact the aggregate in the mold during the delivery thereof, advance the mold containing the compacted aggregate to an ejecting station, ejecting the product through the bottom of the mold and transferring the finished product to a conveyor for delivery to the curing kilns, all in a continuous operation requiring the services of but a single attendant to see that a proper supply of the plastic aggregate is at all times available for the operation of the machine.

A still further and more specific object of the invention is to produce a smooth top surface on the blocks as they are moved from the position between the filling hopper and the point of ejection.

Among its features this invention embodies a table mounted to move horizontally from a pallet feeding station to an aggregate supply station and thence to a block ejecting station, spaced molds mounted in said table to move vertically with relation thereto, a pallet feeding and positioning mechanism at the pallet feeding station, an aggregate directing hopper engaging the top of the top of the table at the aggregate supply station for feeding aggregate into a mold positioned therebeneath to which a pallet has previously been attached, and means beneath the hopper to jolt the mold and compact the aggregate therein.

Other features include means operating from above the table at the block ejecting station to eject molded blocks downwardly through a mold positioned at the ejectin station and to disengage the pallet at the bottom of the mold, product transfer means beneath the mold at the product ejecting station upon which the pallet, together with the molded products, is deposited as the products are ejected from the mold, and a conveyor upon which the pallet and products are deposited by the transfer means.

' Still other features include means operable beneath the table at the aggregate feeding station 2 to jolt the mold while the aggregate is being fed thereinto.

Still further features involve drive mechanism automatically to position a pallet on the underside of a mold, to move the pallet and mold box jolting mechanism upwardly into pallet engaging position, to eject the molded product from the mold and deposit it on the conveyor, all in sequence and in timed relation whereby the entire operation becomes automatic.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of block forming apparatus embodying the features of this invention,

Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an end View looking at the apparatus from a position substantially at right angles to the position illustrated in Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially along the broken line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 4 illustrating the parts in another position,

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of a portion of the column upon which the table is supported, certain portions of the column being broken away more clearly to illustrate certain details of construction,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 'i-'i of Figure 1,

Figure 8 is an enlarged side View of the mold jolting equipment, illustrating its connection to the drive mechanism for the machine,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 8 illustrating the parts in another position,

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view similar to Figures 8 and 9 illustrating the parts in still a difierent position,

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line lI--H of Figure 5 and illustrating the parts of the jolting mechanism in the position shown in Figure 10,

Figure 12 is an exploded view in perspective illustrating the parts employed in the jolter elevator,

Figure 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of the control cam for the jolter elevator,

Figure 14 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view through a portion of the conveyor drive shaft taken substantially along the line l4l i of Figure 4, V

Figure 15 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 15-45 of Figure 14, V

Figure 16 is a perspective view of the product transfer apparatus,

Figure 1'7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line l'il'! of Figure 4,

Figure 18 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line l8l8 of Figure 4, and

Figure 19 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line I9-I9 of Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a column In comprising a tubular body is fixed, as at 2, to a suitable base or bed l4. Surrounding the column H3 in spaced relation to the bed I4 is a horizontally extending annular supporting stand [6 which is provided in its upper face'with a'suitable race for bearing balls IS. The tubular column I is provided adjacentits lower end with a vertically extending slot 28, the purpose of which will more fully hereinafter appear.

Mounted for rotation about the column M3 on the bearing balls I8 is the base flange 22 of an upwardly extending rotatable sleeve 2d which surrounds the column l9 and projects upwardly to a. point near the top of said column. Fixed to the sleeve 24 near its upper end is a turntable 26 which is provided at radially spaced points with rectangular openings 28 (Fig. l) for the reception of the molds to be more fully hereinafter described. The bottom face of the turntable 26 has secured thereto suitable stops 3Q (Fig. 7) which extend across the corners of the openings 28 to arrest the descent of the molds with relation to the table 25. Projecting upwardly from the flange 22 at radially spaced points are latch pins 32 which are adapted to be engaged by the drive and stop mechanism to be more fully hereinafter described. These latch pins 32 are accurately located with relation to the openings 28 in the table 26 so as to form part of means to arrest movement of the table at predetermined positions about the axis of'the column iii during placing of the pallets, the filling of the molds, and the ejection of the molded products.

Extending radially from the column iii adjacent its upper end are horizontally projecting arms 34 which lie in spaced relation to one another andcarry between them vertical guide sleeves 36 for the ejecting mechanism to be more fully hereinafter described. Extending upwardly and outwardly from the column Iii adjacent its upper end and diametrically opposite the arms 3:1

is a bracket arm 38 and pivotally supported at theupper end of the bracket arm 38 is a lever 30 which forms the support and actuating arm of the ejector previously referred to. Mounted for vertical sliding movement through the column i6 is. a plunger rod 42, the upper end of which is pivotally connected, as at 44, to the lever 40', and surrounding the plunger rod between the lever 4i and the upper end of the column I8 is a compression spring 46, the upper end of which bears against a stop washer 48 carried by the plunger rod 42, while the lower end of the spring bears on the upper end of the column 15. The lever 48 will thus be held elevated as suggested in Figure 3. Extending laterally from the plunger rod 42 adjacent its lower end and projecting through the slot in the column Id is an actuating pin 58 forming part of mechanism by means of which the plunger rod 42 is pulled downwardly against the effort of the spring 46 during the ejection of a finished block from a mold.

M old boa:

The mold boxes employed in conjunction with the machine are best illustrated in Figures 1 and 7 and each comprises a rectangular tubular body 52 which is open at both ends and in its preferred form is provided with transversely extending partition walls 54 arranged in spaced parallel relation to form three molding chambers 56 in which three separate blocks are molded simultaneously. An outstanding flange 58 surrounds the upper end of each mold box and is of a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the table 25. The outer perimeter of the flange 53 is of a size readily to fit Within an opening 28 in the table 26 so that when the mold is in position in the table, the bottom of the flange 58 will rest upon the stops 31] previously described. Extending longitudinally of the upper ends of chambers 56 are supporting bars 58 and suspended from said supporting bars and extending to the bottoms of said chambers 53 are spaced parallel cores 62. The bottom or" each mold box is wholly open except for the bottom edges of the partition walls 54- and the bottom ends of the cores 62, so that the molded blocks may be ejected through the bottoms of the molds. Owing to the fact that the flanges 53 coact with stops 30 to suspend the mold boxes 52 in the openings 23 of the table 26, it is obvious that the molds may be inserted into the table and extracted therefrom from the top thereof, and also the mold boxes-will be free to move upwardly as suggested by the dotted lines in Figure '7 during the introduotion of the aggregate into the molds, and

the jolting of the molds to compact the aggregate.

Secured to opposite ends of the mold box 52 are channel-shaped brackets 54 to which depending pallet clips are secured.

In order to close the under sides of the mold boxes 52 and prevent the escape of aggregate therefrom during the filling and jolting operation, I provide a plurality of pallets 58 which are fed, one at a time, to a position beneath the mold boxes 52 for engagement by the clips 65 Which serveto support the pallets in position relative to the mold boxes during their movements from the pallet loading station, throughthe mold filling station, and to the product discharge station.

Y Pallet feed mechanism In order to position one pallet at a time beneath a mold box at the pallet loading station, I employ a pallet magazine and feeding device designated generally by the numeral Hi. This device comprises a pair of spaced parallel stand-- ards i2 fixed to the bed 14 in such a position as to project upwardly adjacent the periphery of the table 26. The upper ends of these standardsrare joined by an inverted channel member M which forms a stop against which the upper edges of the pallets 68 rest while they are in the magazine. The lower edges of the pallets 68 rest on downwardly inclined spaced parallel bars T6, the lower ends of which are disposed slightly above the plane of the lower ends of the'mold boxes 52 and are provided with up, turned hooks l8 which cooperate with the chan-' incl 14 in holding a group of pallets in position for delivery, one at a time, to the mold boxes; It is to be noted that the endmost pallet 68 nearest the turntable 26 rests at its upper end against the-flange of the channel 14' which is c'arri'edby the standards 12, while the rest of the pallets in the magazine are supported against the. dependingfiange of the channel 14 remote from the standards 72. In this way, the pallet 68: positioned nearest to the turntable 26 may be liftedv upwardly over the upper edges of'the hooks 18 to deliver'it from the magazine while leaving the rest of the pallets remaining in the magazine. Pivotally supported, as at 80, to the standards 12 are spaced parallel angle bars 82, corresponding flanges of which are turned inwardly to form supports for a pallet. These angle bars 82 are held in spaced parallel relation bycross bars M and 86 (Fig. 4) with the cross bar 84 being positioned near the ends of the bars 82 furthest away from the pivot 80, and projecting longitudinally from the bar 84 and away from the pivot 80 are spaced stops 88 by which a pallet moving along the bars 82 is arrested. Carried at the ends of the side bars 82 remote from the stops 88 are heads 90 (Fig. 2); the upper portions of which are provided with inclined faces 92 forming wedges which are adapted to enter between the lower edge of the pallet 68 which engages the hooks I8, and the lower edge of the next adjacent pallet so that when the arms 82 are moved downwardly, as suggested in the dotted line position in Figure 2, the pallet 60 will be lifted upwardly and guided toward the turntable 26, so that its lower edge will be deposited on the bars 82 adjacent the heads 90, and the pallet will thus be caused to slide by gravity down the bars 82 until it is arrested against the stops 88 previously referred to. Obviously, when the pallet rests against the stops 88, and the bars 82 are moved about the pivot 80 to extract the head 90 from the pallet magazine, the pallet resting on the bars will be elevated to a position to be engaged by the pallet clips 66 on the bottom end of a mold 52 which has been moved into pallet receiving position. Pivotally coupled to the cross bar 86 is one end of a link 94, the opposite end of which is pivotally coupled to one end 'of a lever 96 which is pivotally supported intermediate its ends, as at 98, to a bracket I which depends from the stand It, as will be readily understood upon reference to Figure 2. The end of the lever 9% remote from that which is coupled to the link 94 is connected .to the drive mechanism of the machine, as will be more fully hereinafter explained. 1

Mold filling and aggregate compacting equipment Positioned about the axis of the column I0 at substantially ninety degrees from the pallet loading station just described is a mold filling and compacting station, at which is located a suitable hopper I02. This hopper is of hollow frustro inverted pyramidal form with its lower end so disposed and arranged as to receive the perimeter of the flange 58 of a mold supported in an opening 28 in the table 20. The hopper is so fixed that its lower edge lies adjacent the upper surface of the table 20, so that as a filled mold is moved by the table away from its posiltion'beneath the hopper, the lower edge of the hopper will serve to scrape any excess aggregate off of the top of the mold and the contents thereof. A suitable aggregate conveying spout I04 which leads from any suitable source of aggregate supply (not shown) is arranged above the hopper I02 in such a manner that aggregate flowing down the spout will be discharged into the hopper I02 from whence it is discharged into amold 52 as soon as the latter has moved into position beneath the hopper.

.Positioned at the mold filling station directly beneath the hopper is a mold jolting unit designated generally I06. This jolting unit comprises ,a; p1atform I08 carrying upwardly; projecting guide pins IIO. Mounted for vertical sliding movement on the guide pins I I0 is a movable bed I I2, and supported on the platform I08 are bearing brackets H0 in which a rock shaft H6 is mounted for vertical and oscillatory movement. Fixed to the shaft H0 are longitudinally spaced supporting cams H8 which rest upon the plat,- form I08 and engage the under side of the movable bed I I2 so that when the shaft I I5 is rocked, the movable bed II2 will be raised or lowered with relation to the platform I08. A torsion spring I20 is attached at one end to the platform I00, and its opposite end is fitted into a slot I22 formed in one end of the shaft H6, and this spring serves as a booster to aid in rocking the shaft IIE. A lever I24 is fixed to the shaft IIO adjacent the end remote from the slot I22, and pivotally coupled to the lever I24 remote from the shaft IE6 by means of a pivot pin I20 is a sector plate I28 which isprovided with an arcuate slot I30 through which the shaft H6 projects. Fixed to the shaft lit at I32 is a cooking arm or lever I34, and extending through the lever I30 adjacent the end remote from its pivotal connection I32 is a pin I36 to Which one end of a retractile coil spring I38 is coupled. The opposite end of the spring I38 is coupled to an eye I 30 carried by the sector plate I20 along a radius substantially midway between opposite ends of the arcuate slot I30. It will thus be seen that as the cocking lever I30 isrocked about the axis of the shaft I 56, the spring I38 will be extended periodically to snap the cams IIB into vertical or horizontal position. An actuating link I2 is pivotally coupled at one end to the arm I34 by means of the pin I35, and the opposite end of the link I02 is connected to the oscillating drive arm of the machine as later described. A link I00 is coupled at one end to a pin I46 which projects laterally from the arm I24 intermediate the ends thereof, and the end of the link I44 remote from the pin I26 is coupled to the lever of the actuating and timing cam as will be more fully hereinafter described. I

Mounted for vertical sliding movement on the upper ends of the pins IIO are guide sockets I48 (Figs. 3 and 8), the lower ends of which rest on the upper ends of compression coil springs I40 which surround the pins IIO and rest on the upper face of the movable bed I I2. These sockets support at their upper ends a table I50 which, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, is adapted to engage the bottom face of a pallet 08 closing the under side of a mold box 52 which is positioned beneath the hopper I02. Mounted on the movable bed plate I I2 is a suitable electric motor I52 which is coupled to the drive pulley 556 of a conventional vibrating or jolting mechanism 555 through the medium of an endless belt This vibrating or jolting mechanism I58 is adapted to cause the table to move vertically on the I I0, thus to vibrate the mold box 52 while the aggregate is being deposited therein through the hopper I02. It will thus be seen that as the aggre gate enters the mold box 52, it will be compacted therein to form a block or blocks of the desired density.

Bloclcey'ector and transfer mechanism nated generally I59 which comprises a cross head I60 carrying depending guide rods I52 which slide through the sleeves 36 and are connected at their lower. ends by ahead plate I64. Dependmenace 7 'ing from the head plate 164 are plunger rods 1:6 6 carrying at their lower ends heads 1380f a size and "shape to 'fit the chambers 56 in the mold boxes 52 between the partitions '54, cross bars 69 and cores 62 so that when the head plate 1 6- is moved downwardly, the heads IGB will engage the shaped blocks to eject them through the bottom of the mold box which is positioned :at the product ejecting station. Projecting upwardly from the cross head 155 are spaced parallel ears Hi} which are coupled through a pin and slot connection I12 to the end of the lever 4!} remote from that which is pivoted to the bracket 33. It will thus be seen that when the plunger rod is moved downwardly against the effort of the s ring so, the ejector its will move downwardly and cause the molded products to be forced through the bottom of the ll-101d box 52.

In order to hold the pallet -68 in "proper position against the bottoms of the molded product during the ejection of the products from the mold, -I provide a transfer mechanism best 'illu's trated in Figure 1'6. This transfer mechanism comprises a pair of spaced vertically extending guide sockets I'M into the upper ends of which are telescopically fitted plungers N5, the upper ends of which are joined by across bar H3 pro- 'vided at opposite ends with oppositely extending arms 888. This cross bar 1'13 and the arms l80 form a platform or table which, when elevated, engages the under side of a pallet carried by a mold box 52 which is at rest at the ejection sta-= tion of the machine. Opposite ends of the arms E88 are curved downwardly, as at 182, so that as a mold box approaches the ejecting station, it

will encounter these guides and cause the plat- 'form or table to be slightly depressed. Extending vertically be'tv een the guide sleeves PM is a cylinder 184 having a piston [86 which is connected to the lower endof a piston rod 188 which works through the upper end-of the "cylinder and is coupled, as at 199, to the cross bar T3. The cylinder we is provided at spaced points with bleeder openings i192 through which air oompressed within the cylinder by reason of the downward movement-'of the piston 86 mayesc'a'pe, and at the same time such compressed air will serve as a cushion to retard the downward move ment of the bar H3 and the arms 1%. Pivotally supported as at I94 near the cylinder F84 is a lever its having a bifurcated end which forms spaced arms H538 to which are pi-votally coupled adjacent their lower ends links 29's, the upper ends of which are pivotally connected to the cross bar H3. A counterweight 262 is carried. by the lever [Q6 at the end remote from the bifur cated end and normally urges the crossbar "H9 and the arms H39 upwardly. 'It will thus be seen that with the transfer mechanism located directly beneath the block ejector 159, as thecp'roducts from the mold are forced downwardly by the plunger heads I68, their downward movement will be resisted by thecrossbar H8 and the arms 156 of the transfer mechanism so that the pallet upon which the products are supported 1 will be held against the bottoms thereof.

As illustrated in Figures, the product transfer apparatus is adapted to work between a pair of conveyor chains 2% of a product conveyor designated generally 285. This product conveyorzllfi which are keyed or otherwise hired to a drive shaft 2l22,so that the chains will move in unison. At the opposite end of the driven conveyor, the chains 204 are trained over idler sprockets -214 mounted on a horizontal supporting shaft 2-16 which lies parallel with the shaft 212. The chains 2ml areqprov'ided with outwardly'extending lugs 2H3 (Fig. 2) which are spaced from one another a-distance sufiicient to accommodate a pallet "68 which has :been transferred from the mold box t'zy-together with the molded product by the transfer mechanism onto the chains 20]. The pallets moving under the influence of the chains 2 M toward the end of the driven section of the conveyor 266 remote from the transfer mechanism are received on the rollers 22-!) of a conventional roller conveyor, designated gener ally 2f2i2 which forms the second unit or the conveyor 2&8. Carried on the drive shaft 212 intermediate the ends thereof is a drive pulley 221i having connection with a pulley 225 through the medium of an end-less belt 228, so that when the pulley 226 is rotated, the conveyor chains 2 will move in unison to advance the pallets resting thereon together with the products toward "the roller conveyor 222. The pulley 226 is keyed or otherwise fixed to a drive shaft 229 which is intermittently driven by the main'd'rive shaft of the machine in a manner to be 'mor fully hereinafter, described.

The shaft 22% is mounted to rotate about a horizontalaxis in spaced parallel relation to the end of the conveyor'Zilii thereof. Fixed to the end of the shaft 229 nearest the center 'of the machine is a cylinder 23! having an open end 'whichfaces away from the :shaft 229. Extendi'ng longitudinally of the cylinder 23] diametrically opposite one another are inwardly extending lugs 233 (Fig. 15) having radial drivingfaces 235, which "lie in a plane which intersects the longitudinal axisof the shaft 229.

-Machine drive :Journaled :in suitable bearings 232 is a main drive shaft 2323, one end of which lies adjacent but out of axial alignment with the shaft 229-. Thisishaft 2% is provided intermediate its ends with a drive pulley 23 2 which has driving connection with a suitable prime :mover (not shown) through the medium of an endless drive belt 23.6,, and fixed to the end of the drive shaft 2-30 adiacent :the shaft 229 is a drive disk 23-! having projecting from its :periphery a driving dog2 38, the rdri-ving-fa'cezli of which ilies in la .plane..radia'1 .tcthe *o'f the Fsh'aft 23B and is adapted to engage the face 235- on a lug 23:3 to impart rotary motion to the shaft 229. Fixed to'the'end of the drive shaft 233 opposite the drive disk 32.3%? is a disk 23%! which carries on one :face an outwardly ei'ztending eccentrically located .pin 2-48. Eivotally supported beneath the axis 0f the drive shait i2 adjacent the disk 3238, .as at d ii is ia lever 32M which is provided "with an elongated .:longitudinal slot 245 :in which "the pinl'z lll :is received. It will thus :be seen :that as the disk 12-38 rotates, :the sleverarm 244 will swing about the aids of its pivot '52 42 through :a vertical arc. Pivota'lly coupled, as at 258, to the lever arm 2 4-14 adjacent the end remote from the pivot 212 is 'th'e end of the linkl iz opposite that which is connected to the "actuating arm 134 of the "mold 'box elevating and jolting device previously described.

Mounted in :a suitable bracket 25o adjacent the 238 is =ashaft 252 carrying at one end 9 "a trip cam 254 having an arcuate cam track 256 which the pin 249 engages to cause the earn 254 to rock about the axis of the shaft 252 as the disk 239 is rotated. A lever arm 258 is fixed to the opposite end of the shaft 252 and this" [Isa SO that when a. mold box is at the filling. station, the table I59 will be raised with great rapidity to engage the under side of the pallet 68. Pivotally coupled at 248 to the lever 244 adjacent the link I42 is a bracket 262 (Fig. 2) to which is pivoted one end of a pawl or latch arm 264. This latch arm is provided adjacent the end remote from its pivotal connection to the "lever. 244 with a latch dog 266 which, as illus- 'trated in Figures 4 and 5, is adapted to engage the pins 32 in succession so that as the lever 244 is moved away from the machine, pull will be exerted on a pin 32 to cause the flange 22 to rotate the sleeve 24 and index the table 26 around ,the axis of the column I9 a distance of exactly ninety degrees. A retractile coil spring 268 is coupled at one end to the latch arm 264, and the opposite end of said spring is anchored, as at 219, to the stand I6. Suitable guard plates 212 project upwardly from the flange 22 between the pins 32 to serve as guides during the time that the latch arm 264 is advancing to engage 4 a pin 32. In order to hold the table against accidental rotation, I provide a keeper 214 which is mounted for sliding movement on the plate I6 and is adapted to be projected under the influence of a compression coil spring 216 into engagement with a pin 32, as illustrated in Figure 4. In order periodically to release the keeper 214 during the rotation of the table under the influence of the latch arm 264, I pivotall support, as at 218 on the stand I6, a bellcrank arm 280 which is coupled at 282 through a pin and slot connection to the keeper 214. The opposite end of the bellcrank 289 has connected thereto one end of a link 284, the opposite end of which is coupled, as at 296, to a rockarm 288 which is adapted to rock about a pivot 289 when engaged by a pin 299 which projects laterally from the face of the disk 233 opposite the pin 249.

: Mounted for vertical rocking movement in a suitable bracket 292 (Fig. 17) which projects upwardly from the bed I4 beneath the stand I6 is a lever 294 which is coupled at one end, as at 296, to the lever 96 previously referred to. The end of the lever 294 remote from the coupling 296 projects outwardly and upwardly beyond the end of the stand I6 and toward the shaft 239 into the path of the pin 299 so that as the disk 238, rotates, the lever 294 will rock about its pivota'l connection with the bracket 292. It will thus be seen that the end of the lever 294 remote from the pivotal connection 296 will be elevated by its engagement with thepin 299 so that the,

lever 96 will be rocked about its pivot 98 to lift the link 94 and arms 82 and thus move a pallet supported by the arms 82 into engagement with.

' will thus be seen that as the lever 294 rocksabout the bottom of a mold box 52 at the pallet loading station. The lever 294 is provided near its pivotal connection with the lever 96 with an,

loading station.

its fulcrum at the upper end of the bracket 292, the plunger 48 will be moved vertically through the column II] to eject formed products, at the ejecting station and simultaneously a pallet will be moved into contact with a mold at the pallet Operation -In operation, the mold boxes 52 are placed in the respective openings 28 in the turntable 26 and a number of pallets 68 are placed in the pallet rack 16 in the position shown in Figure 2. As the drive shaft 230 is rotated, the pin 296 will engage the lever 294, causing it to rock about its fulcrum and move the plunger 42 downwardly,

Figure 2 and hence move a pallet supported by the arms against the under side of a mold box 52 which is located at the pallet loading station.

The pallet thus moved against the bottom of the mold box will be held in place by the clips 66 so that when the arms 82 return to the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 2, the pallet 68 will remain in contact withthe bottom end of the mold box. Also, upon the return of the arms 82 to the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 2, the cam face 92 and head will engage the under side of the foremost pallet in the pallet rack 16 to lift the bottom edge thereof over the retaining hooks 18 so that the pallet will slide downwardly along the arms 82 until it engages the stops 88. Continuing its rotation, the disk 238 moves the lever 246 into the position illustrated in Figure 8, thus exerting pull on the latch arm 264 and causing the table 26 to move ninety degrees, thus positioning the mold box 52 which was located at the pallet loading station to the mold filling station under the hopper I92, and over the table 26. Simultaneously with the engagement of the latch arm 264 with the pin 32,

the latch 214 is retracted to disengage a pin. 32 at the opposite side of the flange 22 to permit the table to be rotated by the return stroke of the latch arm 264. As the pin 249 moves in its orbit around the axis of the shaft 239, it encounters the cam face 256 of the cam 242, thereby causing the cam 254 to rock about the axis of the shaft 252 so as to move the arm 258 and'impart motion to the rock arm I24 of the table elevating shaft II6 to cause the cams H8 to elevate the platform H2 and move the table I56 into contact with the under side of the pallet 68. With the table thus elevated, the motor I52 is set into operation to cause the table to vibrate the mold so as to compact the aggregate being discharged thereinto through the hopper I92;

With the vibration completed, the arm 244 again moves to retracted position, thus exerting pull on the link I42 and transmitting such pull through the arm I34 to the segmental plate 28, and owing to the pin and slot connection 260 between the arm 258 and the link I44, it will be evident that the power of the spring I38 will snap the cams II 8 into table lowering position. The timing of the operation of the cam 254 and the segmental plate I28 is such that the tablewill be dropped as the latch arm 264 approaches the next successive pin 32 preparatory, to again rotating the table. The filled mold 52 is eventul1 lly ndexed to. the, product ejecting station which is located diametrically opposite the mold filling station, and the lowering of the plunger 48. is timed with relation to the operation of the pallet loader .and the. mold vibrating. mechanism so that the ejector E59 will move downwardly to force the products through the bottom of a mold 52 located at the ejecting station while the pallet is being loaded and the mold box is being filled and vibrated. The heads IE8 bearing on the compacted aggregate within the mold box 52 at the ejecting station will cause the pallet 68 to be disengaged from the latches 55 so that the product may be ejected through the bottom of the mold box. The pallet is supported on the transfer mechanism previously described and the cross bar I18 and arms 185- will move downwardly under the influence of the weight of the pallet and finished blocks, to be deposited on the conveyor chains 284. Downward movement of the pallet and blocks is resisted by the counterweight 202 and the air pressure within the cylinder I84, sov that the pallet and products will be gently deposited upon the conveyor chains. It will thus be seen that the machine will continuously and automatically produce blocks or the like of ce mentitious aggregate without requiring any handling. of the product from the time of the preparation of the aggregate until the finished product is deposited on the conveyor for transportation to the curing kilns. Intermittent advance of the conveyor chains 2% is obtained by the retation of the main drive shaft 23!] driving the disk 23! which, as it revolves, advances the driving face 241 of its lug 239 intocontact with a driving face 235 of a lug 233, thus causing the shaft 229 to turn in its bearings. Owingto the eccentricity .of the shafts 229 and 239 as the shafts rotate, the driving faces 235 and 24! slide radially over one another until they wholly separate. so. that rotary motion of the shaft 229- is -arrested until the lug 239 makes a half revolution and engages the driving face on the diametrically opposed lug 233. In this way, the con veyor chains are advanced intermittently ina stepeby-step motion and pause for a length of time sufficient to load a pallet and the products thereon.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment ofthis invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. Apparatus for molding blocks from a plastic cementitious aggregate or the like, which includes a horizontal table mounted to rotate about a vertical axis from an aggregate supply station to a block ejecting station, spaced molds mounted in said table to move vertically with relation thereto, means at the aggregate supply station for feeding aggregate into a mold and compacting such aggregate in, the mold, means operating from above the table at the block ejecting station to eject molded blocks downwardly through a mold positioned at the ejecting station, a product conveyor beneath the table at the ejecting station, and transfer means, including a vertically movable table adapted to receive a, block as it is ejected from the mold, and lower it onto the conveyor.

2. Apparatus. for molding blocks or the. like,

invention, what from. a plasti aggr gate which includes, a turntable. mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, radially spaced molds mounted in said table to move vertically with relation thereto, indexing means to rotate the table and move the molds successively from anaggregate filling station to a block ejecting station, a vertically movable jolting means beneath the table at the aggregate filling station adapted to joltthe mold vertically so as. to compact the aggregate as it is being. de-

posited in, the mold, means to alternately raise vertical axis, radially spaced molds mounted in said turntable to. move Vertically with relation thereto, means to rotate the table with a stepby-step. motion in succession from an aggregate filling and, compacting station to a block ejecting station, a vertically movable jolting means heneath the table at the aggregate filling station to .lQlt a mold vertically and. compact. the aggregate as it is being deposited therein, means to. alternately raise said jolting means to an operative position and lower the same to an inoperative position, means operable. above the turntable at the ejecting station to eject molded blocks. downwardly through a mold positioned at the ejecting station, a product conveyor beneath the table at theejecting station, and transfer means including a vertically movable table adapted to receive a block as it is ejected from the mold and, lower it onto the conveyor.

l, Apparatus for molding blocks from a plastic cementitious aggregate or the like which includes, a tubular column, a turntable mounted on, the tubular column to. rotate. about a vertical axis, circumferentially spaced molds mounted in the turntable to move vertically, a hopper mounted above the table successively to. direct plastic aggregate into the molds. as the table is rotated about the vertical axis, means beneath the hopper to jolt a mold positioned beneath the hopper and compact the plastic aggregate entering the mold from the hopper, a block ejector operable, above the table remote from the hopper and means operable through the tubular column to move the block ejector downwardly to eject a molded block downwardly through, a mold positioned beneath the ejector.

5. Apparatus for molding blocks from a plastic. cementitious aggregate or the like which in-. cludes, a tubular column, a turntable mounted on the tubular column to rotate about a vertical axis, circumferentiall spaced molds mounted in the turntable to move vertically, a hopper mounted above the table successively to direct plastic aggregate into the molds as the table is rotated about the vertical axis, means beneath the hopper to jolt a mold positioned beneath the hopper and compact the plastic aggregate entering the mold from the hopper, a block ejector operable above the table remote from the hopper, means operable through the tubular column to move the. block ejector downwardly to eject 13 a molded block downwardly through a mold positioned beneath the ejector, a product conveyor beneath the ejector and transfer means to receive a block as it is ejected from the mold and deposit it on the conveyor.

6. Apparatus for molding blocks from a plastic cementitious aggregate or the like, which includes a table, molds mounted in said table to move horizontally from an aggregate supply station to a block ejecting station, said molds being mounted in said table to move vertically with relation thereto, an aggregate directing hopper en gaging the top of the table at the aggregate supply station for feeding aggregate into a mold positioned therebeneath, means beneath the hopper to jolt the mold and compact the aggregate therein, means operating from above the table at the block ejecting station to eject molded blocks downwardly through a mold positioned at the ejecting station, a product conveyor beneath the table at the mold ejecting station, transfer means including a vertically movable table adapted to receive a block as it is ejected from a mold and lower it onto the conveyor, and means to index the table in a step-by-step motion to advance the molds in succession to the aggregate supply station and to the block ejecting station.

7. Apparatus for molding blocks from a plastic cementitious aggregate or the like which includes, a tubular column, a turntable mounted on the tubular column to rotate about a vertical axis, circumferentially spaced molds mounted in the turntable to move vertically, a hopper mounted above the table successively to direct plastic aggregate into the molds as the table is rotated about the vertical axis, means beneath the hopper to jolt a mold positioned beneath the hopper and compact the plastic aggregate as it enters the mold from the hopper, a block ejector operable above the table remote from the hopper, means operable through the tubular column to move the block ejector downwardly to eject a molded block downwardly through a mold positioned beneath the ejector, and means to index the table in a step-by-step motion to advance the molds in succession to the aggregate supply station and the block ejecting station.

8. Apparatus for molding blocks from a plastic cementitious aggregate or the like which includes, a tubular column, a turntable mounted on the tubular column to rotate about a vertical axis, circumferentially spaced molds mounted in the turntable to move vertically, a hopper mounted above the table successively to direct plastic aggregate into the molds as the table is rotated about the vertical axis, vertically movable jolting means beneath the hopper to jolt a mold positioned beneath the hopper and compact the plastic aggregate entering the mold from the hopper, means to alternately raise said jolting means to an operative position and lower the same to an inoperative position, a block ejector operable above the table remote from the hopper, means operable through the tubular column to move the block ejector downwardly to eject a molded block downwardly through a mold positioned beneath the ejector, means to index the table in step-by-step motion to advance the molds in succession to the aggregate supply stationand the block ejecting station, and means to actuate the mold jolting means and the block ejector in timed relation to the table indexing means.

9. A machine of the class described comprising a turntable mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, radially spaced molds mounted in said turntable to freely move vertically relative thereto, means to intermittently rotate said turntable to successively move the molds to a pallet supply station, an aggregate supply station, and a block ejecting station, pallet applying means to raise a pallet and removably apply the same to the bottom of each mold when it has been moved to said pallet supply station, means to feed pallets one at a time to said pallet applying means, means to feed aggregate into each mold when it has been moved to said aggregate supply station, jolting means to vertically jolt each mold as the aggregate is fed thereto, means to alternately raise said jolting means to an operative position and then lower the same to an inoperative position between successive rotating movements of the turntable, means to eject a molded block downwardly from each mold when it has been moved to the block ejecting station, a block conveyor beneath the turntable, and transfer means including a normally raised vertically yieldable table to receive the block ejected from each mold and lower it onto said conveyor.

VICTOR V. BENISCHEK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 435,171 Davis Aug. 26, 1890 1,599,151 Vought Sept. 7, 1926 2,231,064 Fearn Feb. 11, 1941 2,317,574 Williams Apr. 27, 1943 

